Pension Application of Joseph Gammar (Grammar): R4183

                        Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris

[Punctuation partly corrected.]

On this 23^d day of July 1833 personally appeared in open Court, it being a Court of Record, before the qorum Court of pleas and quarter sessions, now sitting, Joseph Grammar a resident of the  County of Roane [sic: Rowan] and State of Tennessee aged about 75 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following decleration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7^th 1832. That he entered the service as a private volunteer, in the malitia, in the dominion of France under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That he volunteered under Captain Luchnass[?] under the command of the prince of [illegible] & Marquis Lafayette & the Duke of France having the contract [see note below]. applicant volunteered at the city of Hawkinow [sic: probably Haguenau] in the year 1776 or 7. Applicant volunteered for the purpose of going to America to assist the the Americans in the Revolutionary strugle for liberty. a short time after applicant volunteered was marched through France to a fort on an island by the name of Sirsumber [possibly near Cayeux-sur-Mer] where he remained 6 or 7 weeks, was then marched to a Citty in France called Samaluu [possibly St. Malo] where he was continued for a while, not recollected how long, then applicant was marched to Brest, thence embarked in a vessel for America, under Maj Paluroshes [sic: John L. Polereczky]; Applicant was in a severe battle in his passage (on sea) to america, with the Brittish. the fireing commenced about the middle of the after noon. The enemy was vanquished, as they were not to be found the next morning. the fireing continued until night; applicant landed at new port Rhode Island in the spring of the year, where applicant was continued that summer. applicant was then marched up to Hartford where he was continued that winter, then marched to the white plains, where he joined the main american army under General George Washington. applicant was under Washington the chief Commander. applicant was in a severe Battle at the white plains. was continued at the last mentioned place until he was marched to Little York. was in the celebrated siege at Little York, from the commencement until Lord Cornwallis was taken [28 Sep - 19 Oct 1781]. applicant was part of the time [several illegible words] General [illegible]  after said engagement applicant was marched up to Hampton where he was continued in winter quarters until some time in February  applicant was then marched up to Charlotte County Virginia. was continued there in service until about the 8^th June, was then verbally discharged from the armey. after the close of the ware applicant remained about years [sic] in Charlotte then went to Botetout [sic: Botetourt] County where he remained about 8 years, then went to Russel [sic: Russell] County Va. where he remained 8 or 9 year then went to Lea [sic: Lee] County where he remained about 10 years  applicant then moved to Roane County Tenness where he has remained ever since. Applicant was born in the Citty of hawkinow, in France, does not know certanly what year he was born in as he has no record of his age. Applicant was living in France aforesaid when he volunteered. Applicant never received a written discharge from the service. applicant states the names of the following persons to whom he is know & has been for a good many years who can testafy as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution  viz, John barter Esqr, Reynolds Banning, Benjamin Prator, Thomas Prator, Maj. William Belvoir, Simon Eldredge, Bertton[?], James Campbell, Harlam Fike, Thomas Goodman; applicant also states the names of some other of the officers who were with the troops where he served  viz Col [Daniel] Morgan & General [Anthony] Wayne. applicant was about 19 years of age when he volunteered. applicant is certain that he served not less that four years in all the time as a private in the malitia. applicant is also certain that he served two years & six months of said time after he joined the American army as a private in the malitia  for his aforesaid services claims a pension. he is old infirm and very poor, has a wife who is old, to support. applicant hopes as one of his officers, Lafayett received such a handsome reward for his distinguished services that he will receive his mite to smooth his downhill road in his old days. applicant has no documentary evidence of his services, and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his services. it is out [two lines illegible]

He hereby relinquishes his every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the Agency of any state; sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid             Joseph hisXmark Gammar

NOTE: It appears that Gammar actually sailed to America under the command of Jean-Baptiste-Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau and not under Lafayette. Rochambeau left Brest in May of 1780 and arrived at Newport RI on 10 June. After waiting there for equipment for almost a year, Rochambeau and Washington conferred in Connecticut on plans to besiege New York. Their two armies united at White Plains NY on 6 July 1781, but I could find no record of a battle there at that period. In August 1781 they abandoned plans t besiege New York and decided to besiege Cornwallis at Yorktown, instead. French troops there were under the command of Lafayette.